SRT Spree returns to town this weekend

MONT CLARE » On Saturday, the SRT Spree will return to Phoenixville for another year of competition, cleanups, fun and, of course, beer.

The weekend will include a variety of activities aimed at bolstering appreciation for the Schuylkill River Trail. Saturday’s events include a kayak trip down the Schuylkill River hosted by Take It Outdoors Adventures that kicks off in Riverfront Park at 8 a.m.

Additionally, trail cleanups hosted by Schuylkill River Greenways NHA will be taking place in the Reading area from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and near Lock 60 in Mont Clare from noon to 2 p.m.

The sold-out 2018 Schuylkill River 50k Relay will also be starting at Lock 60 on Saturday. The event is a 50-kilometer race that starts and ends at Saint Michael’s Park which adjoins Lock 60 in Mont Clare. Runners will follow the Schuylkill River Trail through Montgomery County and the Valley Forge National Park all the way to Conshohocken where they will turn around at the Conshohocken Brewing Company.

Runners will begin in waves, starting at 9 a.m. at Tow Path Road near Saint Michael’s Park and will start based on their own estimated finishing times. Runners have the option of racing solo, or as part of a team of three to six runners.

But the day isn’t finished just because the race is.

Following runners’ return to Phoenixville, participants will enjoy a Sly Fox SRT Ale, specially brewed to support the Schuylkill River Trail. It was first released in April of 2015 with a then unprecedented multimodal journey down the entire trail that included trail cleanups and nightly stops at distribution points for release parties. Traveling by kayaks, bicycles, horses and on foot, a team from the Sly Fox Brewing Company made it to the trail’s end in Philadelphia on Earth Day for a festive celebration of SRT Ale’s regional release. Every year since, SRT Ale has released on or around Earth Day with an outdoor party that features a form of recreation for everyone. This year, the SRT Ale is being introduced as a yearround brand.

The party that follows Saturday’s events includes live music by OK Otter and Mason Porter, food trucks and Sly Fox beer.

For more information on the events for this weekend, visit www.slyfoxbeer.com/ srt-spree.

DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA FILE PHOTO Kayaks get together for a group photo before paddling the Schuylkill River. They started at Riverfront Park in Pottstown participated in the 2016 Sly Fox Brewery SRT Spreekend and finishing up at Lock 60 in Mont Clare.